As a smartphone owner, you surely observe the host of mobile apps crowding the screen. Interestingly, there are many more in the Google Play store, waiting to be installed at the touch of your finger. Ever wondered who makes them and why?
Who needs Mobile apps?
Well, these apps belong not only to the big players like Amazon, Netflix, or LinkedIn. Instead, the local grocery store delivers farm-fresh milk and dairy products once you place an order through an app. In other words, even small and medium businesses are using mobile apps to further their business.
To be precise, according to Statista.com, during Q4 2022, Android users downloaded 27.5 billion apps from Google Play. That’s an astronomical amount indeed!
Why do businesses need Mobile apps?
Today, businesses of all sizes are using apps, but why? Let’s explore some benefits of Mobile app development for businesses…
- Grab more eyeballs
Every time you pick up the phone you may use a few apps and not even open the scores of others spotting the screen. Nevertheless, they exist and continue to grab a place in the corner of your mind. Later you may use any one of them at an opportune moment. And that fulfils the purpose of the app provider.
- Build a direct connection with your customers
Your app provides all the relevant information about your product or service. Your potential buyers cannot miss any scheme or promotion you offer. Additionally, loyal customers can collect reward points immediately with a few taps. So, you always stay engaged and continue adding value to their lives, fostering brand loyalty.
Overall, the pivotal role of apps in connecting with customers and influencing their buying decisions explains the sprouting of mobile app developers. This is better understood from another Statista report, which predicts the mobile app industry revenue to cross $900 billion by 2023. This meteoric spurt is explained by users checking their phones on average 80 times a day amounting to a spending of 3 hours per day.
Quite expectedly, mobile app developers are responding by developing a wide plethora of apps. These include apps related to Lifestyle, Social Media, Utility, Games/Entertainment, or News/Information.
As a business owner if the mobile app stats excite you to build one for promoting your merchandise, let me warn you to be vigilant. Before investing in the development of a mobile app as a business promotion tool, you must evaluate multiple factors to optimize the utilization of your investments.
Factors to watch out for…
Let’s examine some key factors a business owner, mobile app developer, and service provider must consider:
- In-depth Research
Your target audience and the voice of your customer determine the nature of your mobile app. In other words, the knowledge gained through deep research about industry trends, customer demands, the performance of your competitors etc., defines the app’s success. Therefore, think out of the box to offer something unique that sets you apart and converts a potential buyer to a loyal customer.
- Platform Selection
This is just like ensuring the right launching pad for the rocket. And to make the right choice, you must consider your merchandise, target audience, customer demand, and your pricing strategy. Striking a fine balance of all these factors, select iOS, Android, or Windows platform. Also, be mindful to start with one and master it before moving on to others.
- Plan of Action
Do your homework well before launching the app. App development is costly and time-consuming, and a wrong step can be disastrous. So, before you start, include the typical stages of app architecture design, development, testing, enhancement, and deployment in the plan.
Along the stages, monitor and track the project closely against your budgeted effort and cost. Further, release a Beta version of the app and test it rigorously before launching the final version with your customers.
- Effective and easy to use
The ultimate success of the app in promoting your business depends on the ease with which customers use the app and the value they derive from the usage. To be precise, it must consume minimal processing power and memory space. This encourages customers to download the app and start using it. Overall, it must generate a rich user experience and fulfil its purpose.
- Market ready
Finally, when the app is launch-ready, define the appropriate marketing strategy. Consider your target audience, industry demand, and your offering to devise a strategy that enhances the reach of your business with optimum resources.
Mobile App Development Tools and Frameworks
The power of a Mobile app is now evident. Let’s explore some tools and frameworks used for developing these apps for both iOS and Android users. Here’s the list…
- React Native: Developed and supported by Facebook, it is used by big players like Amazon, Tesla, Airbnb etc. The tremendous performance coupled with reusability and compatibility with third-party extensions strongly appeals to developers.
- Flutter: Developers love this open and free framework from Google. Not only because it supports rapid cross-platform development, but also enables engaging visuals, so crucial for Mobile apps.
- Xamarin: Currently acquired by Microsoft, it requires only a few lines of code in C#. So, it supports easy and quick development without compromising on efficiency and quality.
Overall, understanding the pivotal role of Mobile apps in furthering business may tempt you to get some developers and start building one. But here’s the catch…
Hiring a good developer can be challenging. You may end up with one who is unable to deliver to your satisfaction. Alternatively, you may end up with a solution with poor RoI. To avoid such unfavourable outcomes, evaluate the leading Mobile app development companies and select the one that can help you develop an app at a competitive cost, faster turnaround time, and reliable quality.
Final Thoughts
So, a Mobile app is integral to the success of any digital business. To leverage its power, join hands with a capable Mobile app development company and build a secure Mobile app to stay ahead of your competitors before it is too late…
